The use of anastomotic devices for clamping and suturing is well known in the medical art. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,638,901 (Sugarbaker); 3,254,650 (Collito); 4,233,981 (Schomacher); 4,294,255 (Geroc); 4,523,592 (Daniel); 4,657,019 (Walsh et al.); 4,747,407 (Liu et al.): and 4,757,407 (Liv et al.).
These patents are discussed in part in the referenced parent application files, the disclosures of which applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Prior art devices of the type are not fully satisfactory for at least some of the reasons that:
the device comprises a clamping means that requires a relatively large contact area with the tissue or body structure;
the device requires eversion of, and clamping pressure on, the anastomosed parts that may be causative of necrosis or at least result in severely diminished blood flow and a prolonged period for healing;
the device is of undue size and weight;
the device is awkward to use, in contradistinction to efficient surgical procedure; and
the device is relatively sophisticated with respect to manufacture and use.